A detailed look at the game of Dungeons & Dragons and all things related

Friday, November 21, 2014

Class Showcase: Rangers

It’s week seven of my Class Showcase series, where I take
a class from D&D and give three examples from popular culture. This week:
Rangers.

#3 Strider/Aragorn
(The Lord of The Rings Trilogy)

An orphan raised by Elves, who became a Ranger, who became
a hero, who became a King, Aragorn is without a doubt one of the most famous
and pivotal characters in J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic fantasy series. Through his
leadership, tracking abilities, combat skills, and sheer determination, Aragorn
is one of the driving forces that leads to the ultimate downfall of the dark
lord Sauron. Looking at his Ranger skills in particular, Aragorn or Strider
manages to hide the hobbits from danger, provide them with food and guidance on
the journey to Rivendell, protect them from the wraiths, and even provide a
certain amount of healing to Frodo. His skill with animals, horses in
particular, is also quite evident. Aragorn was, is, and will be the template
for many Rangers in D&D.

#2 Katniss
Everdeen (The Hunger Games Trilogy)

Until a little novel by Suzanne Collins came around in
2008, the list of female rangers was quite thin. Since that time, I can name
several who fit the bill such as Merida from the Pixar movie Brave (2012). The
character of Katniss has inspired a whole new generation of young women and
writers who create stories for/about young women rediscovering their “hunter”
or “primal” side. In the stories, Katniss begins as a young woman forced to
break the laws of her world and hunt game in the wild to provide food and basic needs for
her family. Later, as she gets sucked into the Hunger Games and several other
political plots, her fighting skills and survival instinct allow her to become
not only a figurehead but also the spark that lights a powder keg of upheaval.

#1 Link (The Legend
of Zelda Series)

From his first appearance in 1986 to his latest romp in Super
Smash Bros. for Wii U, Link is one of the most recognizable characters in all
of video games. Now granted, some of his incarnations over the years vary
greatly and while I may not consider his character a Ranger in all of them, I
certainly consider him one in two of the most popular incarnations of the
franchise: A Link to The Past (1991) and Twilight Princess (2006). Here’s some
evidence for you: 1) He is equally skilled with both sword and bow; 2) His
armor is quite obviously light/medium and not heavy; 3) He has access to magic;
4) He can communicate with animals and other wild creatures; and 5) In both of
the two games listed above, he originates from a forest setting. In some ways,
I can also see the argument that Link may be a Bard (lots of musical
references) or perhaps an Arcane Fighter build. However, in my opinion, Ranger
fits best.